Machine spacers



"Se t. 24, 1957 R. F. WOOLLEY 2,807,256

MACHINE SPACERS Filed July 9, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

RAYMOND F. WOOLLEY BY 7% A T TOR/V5 Y Patented Sept. 24, 1957 2,807,256 MACHINE SPACERS Raymond F. Woolley, Long Branch, N. J., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application July 9, 1956, Serial No. 596,798 3 Claims. (Cl. 125-13) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a means for cutting, grinding or severing very hard materials, such as for example quartz by abrasive or cutting action. Although the invention is applicable to the cutting of blanks from any crystals, for convenience it will be hereinafter described in its application to quartz since quartz is the material most commonly used for piezoelectric oscillators or resonators.

In the cutting of quartz blanks, one problem ever present in such operation is the dissipation of heat generated at the cutting edge. Failure to dissipate such heat may result in damage to the article being cut and to the cutting medium such as speediiy revolving blades or the like. Accordingly many means have been devised for the furnishing of a coolant such as water or oil to be applied to the surface of the article to be cut, or applied directly to the cutting blades.

In the fabrication of quartz blanks for the purposes heretofore mentioned, it is often necessary that blanks of varying thicknesses be furnished. Due to such requirement, it is necessary in the operation of cutting machines to variably space the saw blades dependent upon the thickness of the blanks desired. In the past, various forms of spacers have been used which permit a coolant to reach the article Worked upon. Such spacers require fine and accurate machining, thus lending to the high cost of such spacers. It was also found that where cutting blades are to be variably spaced at different times, separate and individual spacers of varying thickness had to be made, thereby considerably increasing the cost where multiple operations are involved.

The general object of this invention is the provision of spacers for use between cut-ting blades that are easily fabricated and require no extensive or expensive machinmg.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for supplying a coolant such as water or oil in abundant quantity to both sides of the cutting blade and particularly directed to the working edge or rim of such blade.

An important feature of the invention resides in the stacking of the novel spacers into as many layers as desired whereby spacing between cutting blades can be easily and economically effected.

The above and other objectives, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description to be read in view of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a spacer of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective and partly cut away to show an assembly of cutting blades and a pair of spacers in position.

Fig. 3 is a view, part in elevation and partly in crosssection, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross-section of one form of spacer heretofore used and devices.

Referring to the drawing, a specific embodiment of a spacer for cutting machines is shown generally as 11 and comprises a plate 13 of circular configuration having a central bore or opening 15. Extending radially outwardly from the opening 15 are a plurality of slots 17, spaced apart. The plate 13 is further characterized 'by having four equidistantly spaced slots 19 which extend radially inwardly from the periphery of said plate. The slots 19, as can be seen in Fig. 1, are spaced 90 from each other in equidistantly staggered relation to the slots 17 so that each of the slots 19 lies between adjacent radial slots 17, and all of the slots are so located that each of slots 17, 19 is positioned 45 from the adjacent slot. The slots 19 extend inwardly from the periphery of such depth so that is the slots 17 were in linear alignment with the slots 19 a continuous passageway would be provided. While in the particular example of Fig. 1, there is shown a plate with four slots at 17, it is readily apparent that any number of equally spaced slots such as 17 may be provided, and in the same vein any number of equally spaced slots such as 19 may also be furnished, provided the spacer plates are assembled in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The application and use of the spacers 11 in a saw used for cutting quartz blanks is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein there are shown a series of cutting blades 21 carried by a collar 23 which in turn is afiixed to a spindle 25. The spindle 25 is a type well known in the art and is provided with a bore 27 through which the coolant is fed. The spindle is further provided with openings 29 that are in register with openings 31 in collar 23 so that any coolant forced through the shaft wi-ll emerge to flow through the spacers to the cutting edge of the blade. The manner in which the spacers are assembled between the adjacent blades is as follows: Two identical spacers designated 11a and 11b are placed between adjacent blades, however such spacers are not placed in register with each other but one typical of many prior art of said spacers is positioned askew relative to the other spacer to a degree that the radial slots 17 of spacer 11a are spaced about 45 with respect to the radial slots 17 of the other spacer 11b. When so assembled in intimate face-to-face engagement, the slots 17 of spacer 11a will be in linear alignment with the slots 19 of spacer 11b and thereby form a continuous passageway for the flow of coolant through openings 31 of the collar 23. Such assembly and the manner in which coolant will flow to the blades is readily apparent as can be seen in Fig. 3. The manner of affixing the saw blades to the collar 23 and confining such blades to maintain the spacers in position has not been described in detail as any known method of locking blades to a collar or spindle may be used. While in the specific embodiment of this invention as shown in Fig. 3 but two spacer plates have been shown between adjacent blades 21, it is obvious that any number of spacers can be inserted between the blades where it is desired to vary the spacing between the blades to fabricate quartz blanks of varying thickness.

It will be readily apparent that the spacers herein described offer marked advantages over one form of commercial spacer such as shown in Fig. 4 wherein said spacer is shown in part and includes a plate 33 having a hollowed surface recess 35 and terminating in peripheral triangular beveled passageways 37 that allow coolant to flow from the recess 35 to the saw blade. Such spacers require accurate machining and in instances where different spacings are desired between saw blades, it is necessary that individual spacers be so fabricated dependent upon the spacing required.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for spacing saw blades and for providing a passage for fluid to said blades comprising a pair of flat plates. in abutment, each of said plates. having, a central opening, a first series of radial slots extending from said opening to a distance slightly more than half a radius, a second seriesof radiall slots, extending inwardly from: the peripheral surface of said plate to a distance slightlyrmore, than half a; radius,. said slots, of? said". second series; being in; interlaced staggered: relation; with respect-1o: the, slotsiof saidfirst'. series, whereby wherr said-,platesare in abutment and askew so that slots: of said first series, are in linear alignment with slots of said second series, a. pluralityfi fluid passageways extending; frorn'saidl central opening to the periphery of said plate will be formed;

2. Means for spacing saw blades or the like. andproviding a passage for fluid thereto comprising a pair of flat plates in abutment, each of said plateshaving acentral opening, afirstseries of spaced radial slots extending from said opening and a second series of spaced radial slots extending inwardly from the peripheral surface of plate in interlaced, staggered relation with respect to the slots of said first series whereby when said plates are in abutment; and askew. sothat the slots of said first series are in linear alignment with the slots of said second series a plurality of, fluid passageways extending from said opening to the periphery of said plate will be formed;

3. Means for spacing saw blades or the like and providing a passage for fluid thereto, comprising a pair of flat plates in abutment, each of said plates having a central opening, a first series of radial slots spaced 90 apart extending from said opening, a second series of radial slots spaced 90 apart extending inwardly from the peripheral surface of said plate and wherein all of said slots are spaced 45 from each other whereby when said plates are in abutment and askew so that the slots of said first series are spaced 45 apart, a plurality of fluid passageways extending from said opening to the periphery of said plate will be formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 404,284 Johnson May 28, 1889 1,491,515 Chase -Apr. 22, 1924 1,573,961 Zucker Feb. 23, 1926 2,681,678 Hage June 22, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,151 Germany Sept. 11, 1884 

